Electrically driven vehicle jack



w. MULLER ELECTRICALLY DRI VEN VEHICLE JACK Filed Sept; 10. 1936 June 27,1939. 2,153,735

.2 Sheets-Sheet '1 Inz/nbr:

June-27, 1939. I w. MULLER 1 I 2,163,735 'nLzc rmcALLY DRIVEN val-11cm JACK.

Filed Sept. 10, 1936 '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 27, 1939 ATE-NT orr ca I 2,103,135 nmcrmcsmr DRIVEN vnnrcmucx Willy Miiller, Mnnlch, Germany Application September 10, 1936.- Serial No.100fl88 In Switzerland and Germany September 16,

The invention relates to the construction of an electrically driven jack for vehicles in which,

. as is old in the art, the jack is driven by a motor with its base plate removed.

Fig. 1a is asection on the line I -I of Fig. 2.

whichruns without reversing, this being accomplished by the provision in the drive for the jack shaft of a mechanism for effecting as desired the raising or lowering of the jack shaft. i

It is-an object of my invention to provide a mechanism for driving the lifting spindle by which the jack shaft is raised and lowered at a faster rate.

To this end, I provide a pair of clutch parts each of which, in the jack illustrated by way of example, includes an inner'member keyed on the lifting spindle, and a ring which is free to rotate about the inner member in a given direction but is positively connected to the inner member when the ring is rotated in the opposite direction.

Any suitable kind of one-way clutch can be used for connecting the inner member and the ring of each clutch part; in the present instance,

'I have shown, by way of example, the old system of inclined slots and jamming rollers.

For operating the clutch parts, that is, for

temporarily driving the ring of one part, and for breaking the drive of the other ring, and vice versa, I provide means to clutch the rings, and.

mount these means on a movable support which,

oscillate about the lifting spindle. This movable support, or arm, is connected to the motor so that it will reciprocate while the motor runs in the same direction, and means are provided for throwing one of the clutching means into engagement with the corresponding ring by which the lifting spindle is rotated, for instance, to raise the jack shaft and, at the same time, throwing out the other clutching means by which the spindle would be rotated to lower the jack shaft, and vice versa. 1

The movable support on which the two clutch-- ing means are mounted, moves to and fro at a very rapid rate, being connected to the motor as described, and that clutching means which is in active position with respect to its ring at the time, imparts successive angular displacements or oscillations to the corresponding ring at a corresponding rate, so that the ring in onedirection of movement imparts turning movement to the spindle. Thus the movement of the jack stem in both, directions is much accelerated.

. It is another object of my invention to provide convenint means for controlling the clutching members even if the jack is inan awkward position to get at. r

To this end, I provide a handle bar of suitable length and a coupling for temporarily connecting "the handle bar to the means for throwing in and out the clutching members.

A vehicle jack according to the invention is 9 Claims. (Cl. 254-103) and out the clutching members,

shown in a constructional example in the accompanying drawings. in which:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of the vehicle jack Fig. 2 is a section on the line II--II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the jack. Fig. 4 is an elevation, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the coupling for temporarily connecting the handle bar with the shaft on'the jack from which the clutching members are controlled.

Fig.,8 is a section on the lineVL-VI of Fig. 4. Fig. 6a is a perspective-illustration of the male coupling member at the inner end of the-handle bar. 1

Fig. 7 is a section on the line "VII-- '-VII of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view ,of a cam for autoboth forming part of thmeans for drawing in and Fig. 14 shows areturn spring of the actuating plate.

. The lifting spindle I of the vehicle jack shown is driven by the electric motor 3 arranged in the jack casing 2. Keyed to the motor shaft 4 which always rotatesin the same direction, is an eccentric 5. Its rotary movement effects a reciprocatory movement of a connecting rod 6-, which, in

adjustment given to a double-armed lever 8, by

means of which the mechanism ion operating the jack spindle can be thrown out while the motor is running. 1

The following arrangement is employed for X,.'X of Fig. 9. Figs. .11, 12, and 13 show three relative positions of a controlling lever and an actuating plate,

itstum, oscillates an arm 1 adapted to rock abouti converting the oscillatory movementof the arm 7 1 into a rotary movement of the lifting spindle i in the particular direction required:

As mentioned, the lower end of -.the lifting spindle is reduced at 0, and mounted in a stepbearing 9'. At a short distance above the bearing, the

spindle is equipped with a collar ii for support ing it radially in a horizontal partition of the casing 2. I

The two clutches are-arranged on the spindle 1 between its collar H and its bearing 9', and are separated by the "central portion of the rocking arm I'. The lower 'clutch will flrstbe described. it beingunderstood that the upper clutch is quite similar to the lower, but designed for rotation of the spindle i in a direction opposite to that in which it is rotated by the lower clutch. Keyed on the spindle I just above the step bearing 9' is the coupling member of the lower Q clutch comprising a disc l3, Figs. 9 and 10.

- posite to the teeth I8 or l8'on the ring with which .55

The inner member Id of the lower clutch is keyed on the spindle I above the coupling member l3. and a washer I5 is inserted between the inner member I 6 and the arm 1.

Freely rotatable between the disc l3 and washer i5 is the outer member of the lower clutch composed of a ring it provided on its edge with notches I1 and therebetweenwith a series of lugs provided with teeth M which are so positioned that upon operation of the corresponding clutch member, as will be described below, the ring it is rotated in the direction of the arrow P, Fig. l.

The inner member id is provided with a numher, of racemes or wedge-shaped spaces it, all of which have jamming faces inclined in the same direction, and each of which contains a roller 2d, these rollers being. forced against the jamming faces of the respective recesses i9 by pressure springs 29 secured to the coupling member or disc it. I

Placed on top .of the arm l is the upper clutch with its parts It, i4, i5, i6, 20', correspondins to the elements l3, l4, l5, I6, 20 of the lower clutch, but with oppositely inclined jamming faces in the recesses of the inner clutch member 16' and oppositely directed teeth 18' onthe lugs of the ring l8.

It will be understood that each group of elementsmakes up one of the clutches referred to. Below the disc i3 is a ball bearing 22 which bears on a resilient washer 28 set in the base plate it. The firstmentioned clutch l3, It serves to rotate the lifting spindle in one direction and the other clutch l3. it serves for rotating it'in the other direction.

25, 26 Fig. 1, and 26, Fig. 10., are the two pawls rigidly mounted in different planes on a pivot 24 of the movable support or arm I. .The pawl member 25 cooperates with the lower clutch and is equipped with a lug 25a at one end for engag- 111g between the lugs of ring I61 The clutching member' 26, for cooperation with the upper clutch part, has asimilar lug 26a at that end which is opposite the lug 25a, for engaging between the lugs of the ring l6. Each of the lugs or proiections 26aand 26a carries teeth which are opit comes in direct engagement. The alternate engagement and disengagement of the ratchet pawls or clutching members 25 and is efl'ected by pins 28 and. of a plate 29 at the lower end of a vertical shaft 30 to whose upper end a blade spring 50 is secured. By an operative connection of the double-armed lever 8 whose inner end is fulcrumedjat 43, and ofv the spring 50.2.5 wilL be described, the plate '29 is oscillated about the axis of a shaft 30 and its pins 21 and 28 throw in one of the clutching members 25. and 26, as required. Since the spring 50 is interposed, the

operation is not positive, but resilient, so that damage to the teeth of the rings and clutching members is avoided.

The control of the double-armed lever B for raising and lowering the jack shaft is effected by means of the handle bar described below.

3| is a control shaft mounted in one of the end walls of the casing 2, and '33 is a female coupling member on that end of the shaft which the bar has a flattened neck 39, of substantially rectangular cross-section, and a collar- 38 at its inner end. The diameter of the collar 38 is greater than the width of the rectangular neck projects from the casing. The outer; end of 39; as best seen in Fig. 6a, so that the collar pro- I jects beyond the flat sides of the neck 39. The neck and the collar make up the male coupling member. differentv configurations. parallel faces 3% whose distance apart is exactly equal to the width of the rectangular neck 89. The inner slot whose length is equal to thelength of the collar 83, is wider than the collar at its upper end and converges toward its lower end where its sides 37, Fig. 6, are as far apart as the width of the neck 89, so that the collar 38 is retained when the two members are connected, and have been exactly aligned.

The male coupling member 38, 39 is inserted in the female member 341, 35 from above, the collar 88 entering the converging slot until it is arrested at its bottom, and the neck 39 entering between the parallel faces 34 of the female member. The collar 38 prevents relative axial displacement of the coupling members, and the rectangular neck 39 transmits the torque exerted by hand upon the free end of the handle bar 35 to the coupling member 33 and hence to the control arm 32.

After the handlebar 36 with its above described coupling member 38, 39 has been inserted radially and 5 is pushed over the joint of the two couplings until a ball 4| in a radial hole of the handle bar 36 enters under the pressure of its spring situated between it and the bottom of the hole, into an internal peripheral groove 42 of the sleeve 40, thereby securing the sleeve against unintentional axial displacement.

The handle bar enables the driver first to bring the vehicle aack under the vehicle intoposltion in a'most convenient manner. the driver being able by means of the longhandle bar connected to'the The female memberhas two slots of The outer slot has two- Jack to move the jack to and fro and adjust it a also laterally, until the jack has been brought;

into the suitable position. a

'- A control arm 32 is secured on the inner end of the control shaft 3! between the end wall of the casing "Land the motor 3. The upper end of the control arm is forked and engages the free end of the double-armed lever 8.

' By rotating this handle bar in one direction or the other; the control arm]! is caused to axis of the electric motor I in both directions of rotation against the resistance of a spring 46 extending about a collar a supported by the upper end of the motor shaft I, Fig. 14; and carries two pins 48' and 48 which; in the centrhl position of t e double-armed lever l,

and the shaft 38 is not operative.

blade 5I mounted on the disc 41 isthen in theand hence also of the disc vll, aresituated at equal distances on opposite sides of the leaf spring 58, which is therefore not under tension, A contact center between two fixed contacts 52 and .53.

In the central positionof the double-armed lever 8, the current is switched off and also the two pawls 25, 26 are disengaged from their corresponding rings I6, '16. In passing into either of its end positions, the double-armed lever 8, by means of pin 44 and disc 41, 'moves'the contact blade 5I into engagement with one of the contacts 52 or 53 thereby closing the circuit, and, by means of the pin 44, disc '41, and one of the pins 48 and 48, forcing .the leaf spring 58v to one side or the other,.thereby throwing one of the clutching membersor pawls, 25, 26

' into engagement with the corresponding, ring ofthe pawl or 26, which has been operated,

I6, I6 of one of the clutches by means of the shaft 88, plate 29, andpins 21, 28.

If the toothed lug or projection 25a or 26a doesnot immediately enter a gap or notch II or II 'of the corresponding ring or clutch element I6 or I6, but if, for example, the lug or projection 25a of the clutch member or pawl vl5 strikes the teeth I8 of a 1118, the spring 58' will yield, and the lug 25a.first passes over the backs of the teeth I8 without'driving the ring I6. 'On the return stroke, however, the pawl projection 25a drives the ring I5 in the direction indicated by arrow P in Fig 1 and imparts movement from ring I6 through the roller 28 to the inner clutch member I4. On the next stroke,= this operation is repeated again until the projection 26a engages one of the notches I1 which has been moved up in this manner, and now "on the stroke in the direction of the arrow P- rollers 28 are forced by the ring I6 against the Jamming faces of the recesses I9 of the still "stationary inner clutching member and then couples thismember' I4 with the ring I6 which now drives the disc I4 in the direction of the arrow P, whereby the lifting spindle I isrotated through this angular amount and hence the lift- :ing head as of the jack shaft is raised.

'I'hus, .the consequence of throwing over the double-armed lever 8into the-position shown in Fig. 3 is that when the motor 3 is started, the

pawl 25,-by means ofits projection 25a, rotates the ring I6 back and .forth, which drives the inner clutching member I4 and hence the lifting spindle I only in the direction shown by the arrow 1, thereby raising the lifting head 86.

If the double-armed lever 8 is moved into its central position shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 3, the-two pawls 25,26 are'out of engage ment with the rings I6 and I6 so that no movement of the lifting spindles or'of the lifting head 86 takes place. If the double-armed lever 8 occupies the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the pawl or clutching member 26, by

means of .its projection 26a, rotates the ring I6 and hence the inner clutching member. I4- and the lifting spindle I are rotated in the reverse direction, that is to say, in a direction opposite that of the arrow P, which results in the lowering of the lifting head 86.

In order that the double-armed lever 8 will only ,be thrown into .the three positions: central position, right and left-hand end positions, and

not remain in any intermediate positions, the

following construction is provided for the recess- 45 of the disc 41 already referred to, in addition to the above-mentioned spring 46, Fig. 14, en-

gaging the disc Since the axis of rotation of the disc 41 is at a certain distance fromthe axis of rotation of the double-armed lever 8, the recess 45'for guiding the pin 44 of the doublearmed lever 8 in the disc 41 must have a part in the form of a radial slot, the length of which is determined by the difference between the considerable distance of the pin 44 from the axis of rotation of the disc 41 in both end positions of the double-armed lever 8 on the one hand and the short distance of the pin 44 from the said axis of rotation in the central position of the double-armed lever 8. According to the invention; this slot at. each end remote from the said axis of rotation is widened towards bot sides by'substantially the thickness of they pin 44. The effect of this is that on throwing over the double-armed lever 8 fromits central position into an end position, the pin 44 has to be pressed away with a certain expenditure of force over the corner 82 or 93 which projects a little in its path, the consequence of which is. that it then springs into the end portions 54 or .55 and cannot again leave its end position thus assumedwithoutexternal application of force. Nor can it leave its central position on its own account, Furthermore, it thus does not remain in any intermediate position between thecentral and end positions. a

That portion of the lifting spindle I which is above its collar II, has a malelthread, and, upon being driven in the appropriate direction of rotation, screws upwardly the hollow spindle 68 provided with the internal screw-thread 59, until the latter abuts with its internal screw-thread against the head 58 of the spindle I.

Upon further rotation ,of the spindle I, the hollow spindle 68 which is now coupled to it, screws upwardly the hollow jack shaft 63 mount ed with its internal screw-thread 64 on the external screw-thread of 68."

At the end of the first telescopic movement,

- the hollow spindle 63 had arrived with its lower annular projection 65 as far as the .upper annular projection 66 of the hollow cylinder 18 and had since carried with it the hollow cylinder I8. The latter is guided by its guide ledge 14 on the jack casing 2.

Guided on the guide ledge 14 is the guide bar I3 which engages I4 and has its other end pivoted at 12 to the jack head 86.

Vertically adjustable on the guide bar 13 is a bracket 15..

For switching off its motor 3 on attaining the uppermost and lowermostend of its stroke of the telescoping jack stem, a pin 16 is provided in the lower part of. the hollow cylinder 18 and a pin TI on the jack head 86. 7

When the telescoping jack stem has reached the upper end of-its stroke, the pin I6 abuts against the longer arm 88 of a bell crank lever I8 pivoted at 18 to the jack casing 2, so that the said bell crank lever by means of its fork 8| moves the double-armed lever .8 into the central position, whereby the motor is switched off and 7 the two clutching members and 28 are brought into their inoperative position.

When the telescoping lack stem has reached the lower end of its stroke, the pin I1 abuts against the longer arm of the bell crank lever 59, whereby the double-armed lever 8 is likewise brought into its central position, that is to say it is rocked into the position for switching off. In addition to the above-mentioned contacts 52', 53 there are mounted on the plate 83, which is secured to the casing 2 bythe two head-screws 82, two brackets 84 which accommodate between them a tubular incandescent lamp, (not shown), the light ofv which, on switching on the-motor, passes upwardly through a glass lens 95 mounted in the casing 2.

I claim:

1. In a jack comprising an electric motor and a jack shaft, a rotatable member operative upon rotation in opposite directions to raise and lower said jack shaft, and means connecting said motor to said rotatable member to drive the same, said connecting means comprising a shaft connected to said motor and driven thereby, two one-way clutches operable in opposite directions and each comprising a clutch element secured to said rotable member and a second clutch element 00- operating therewith to drive the first clutch element upon movement in one direction only, an eccentric on said motor shaft, an oscillatable lever, means connecting said eccentric and lever whereby rotation of said motor shaft imparts oscillations to said lever, and means for selectively connecting said second clutch elements to said lever.

2. In a jack comprising an electric motor and shaped spaces therein, androllers insaid spaces engaging both said rings, said spaces tapering in opposite directions wherebysaid' clutches drive said member in opposite directions only, an eccentric on said motor shaft, an oscillatable lever,

means connecting said eccentric and lever whereby rotation of said motor shaft imparts oscillations tosaid lever, and means for selectively connecting said rings to said lever,

3. In a jack comprising an electric ,motor an a jack shaft, a rotatable member operative upon rotation in opposite directions to raise and lower. said jack shaft,'and means connecting said motor to said rotatable member to, drive the same, said connecting means comprising a shaft connected to said motor and driven thereby, two one-way clutches operative in opposite directions and each comprising a clutch element secured to said rotatable member, and a second clutch element cooperating therewith to drive said member in one direction only, an eccentric on said motor shaft, an oscillatable lever, means connecting said eccentric and'lever whereby rotation of said motor shaft imparts oscillation to said lever, a

pawl member pivoted on said lever, said pawlgreases member having engaging portions each located in the plane of one of said second clutch elements, said second clutch elements having notches therein engageable by saidengaging portions, and means for shifting said pawl member to engage selectively the notches in one or the other of said second clutch elements and thereby to connect said lever selectively thereto.

4. In a jack comprising an electric motor and a jack shaft, a rotatable member operative upon rotation in opposite directions to raise and lower said jack shaft, and means connecting saidmotor to said rotatable member to drive the same, said connecting means comprising a shaft connected to said motor and driven thereby, two one-way clutches operative in opposite directions and each comprising a ring secured to said rotatable member, and a second ring surrounding said first ring, one of "said rings having wedge shaped spaces therein, and rollers in said spaces engaging both said rings, said spaces tapering in op-- posite directions whereby said clutches drive said on said motor shaft, an oscillatable lever, means connecting said eccentric and lever whereby rotation of said motor shaft imparts oscillation to said lever, a pawl member pivoted on said lever, said pawl member having engaging portions each located in the plane of one of said second rings, said second .rings having notches therein engageable by said engaging portions, and means member in opposite directions only, an eccentric for shifting said pawl member to engage selec-' tively the notches in one or the other of said second rings and thereby to connect said lever selectively thereto.

5. In a device as claimed in claim- 2, the peripheries of said second rings having notches therein adapted to receive said engaging portions and between said notches having teeth thereon, and said engaging portions of said pawl having cooperating teeth thereon.

6. In a device as claimed in claim 3, a snap action mechanism for holding said pawl member in engagement with either of said second rings.

7. In a device as claimed in claim 2, springs urging saidrollers into the narrower ends of said' spaces. I

8. In a device as claimed in claim 3, said means for shifting said pawl member, comprising a second lever fulcrumed on the jack, a disc mounted to rotate about an axis spaced from the axis of said second lever, said disc having a slot therein having a portion transverse to a radiusaxis of said second lever, said disc having a slot therein having a portion transverse to a radius of the disc, and a circular extension from the center of said transverse portion, a pin on said second lever engaging in said slot, means for oscillating said second lever, and means operatively' connecting said disc and saidpawl member, said connecting means including a resilient member.

, wI LYMiiunR. 

